Randy took the steps quickly and walked into the den and stood between Zoey and the TV.
"Daaad, excuse me" Zoey said trying to see around him.
"I think your done with TV right now" Randy said taking up the remote and hitting the button to turn the TV off.
"My favorite part was just gonna come on".
"Forget the damn TV right now" Randy said firmly." We got more important problems right now".
"Is this about Auden. Is she leaving us? " Zoey asked fearfully.
"No she isn't going anywhere, I eased her mind. And you know what else I told her".
"What? ".
"She shouldn't listen to a dishonest little girl".
"What are you talking about Daddy? ".
"I think you know very damn well what I'm talking about".
Zoey played with her fingers nervously, darn, she'd been found out.
"You lied to Auden and you lied on me. What were you thinking? ".
"I'm sorry, I just couldn't take it anymore daddy" Zoey replied.
"You couldn't take what? ".
"The two of you, I thought since you had her, you would forget about me. I missed it being just us" Zoey said tears gathering in her eyes.
That admission seem to curb Randy's anger a little. So that's what all this behavior is about, she was feeling left out. Randy sighed and sat down on the couch beside her.
"Listen Zoey, instead of acting like a brat, you should have came to us and told us how your feeling. We can't help if you don't say anything."
"I'm sorry for being a brat. I just thought I was going to lose you. I already lost mommy. I didn't want to lose you too".
Randy picked her up and placed her in his lap and hugged her to him.
"Your not going to lose me. Believe me, you have a piece of this black muscle I call a heart. Face it kid, we're stuck together" Randy said.
"Good, I love you daddy".
"I love you too smarty" Randy said kissing her forehead.
Zoey melted into his arms. She always felt safe in his strong arms.
"Now, I think we have something else to take care of" Randy said turning serious.
"I got to apologize to Auden".
"Yeah that too, but we still have your punishment to take care of" Randy said.
"I'm grounded again" Zoey said looking up at him.
"No, I don't think that will work this time. I think I'm going to have to go for something that will leave a bigger impression."
Zoey's eyes widened, he couldn't possibly mean.
"Your not going to spank me are you" Zoey asked.
"I think this situation calls for it, don't you? ".
Zoey pondered it over, she had been really bad lately. And she hurt someone in the process. And she lied on her daddy. She didn't mean to make him upset.
"Ok, I guess so, even though I won't like it".
"I'm not going to like it either, but it has to be done".
"Fine".
"You go head upstairs to the room, I'll be up in a minute".
Zoey sighed and went upstairs pass Auden, who was coming down. Auden met Randy in the living room.
"What's going on? She looked like she was going to meet a firing squad" Auden said sitting down next to him.
"I sent her upstairs for a spanking".
"Really? Are you sure it's the right thing to do? ".
"I'm not doing it to be cruel or to seem like a bully. It's more for a teaching purpose for her".
"Don't be so hard on her, she's a little girl".
Randy looked at her, it amazed him how she could be so forgiving after what Zoe tried to pull.
"Well, no use in pro-longing it. Best to get it over with for the both of us" Randy said getting to his feet.
"Randy wait" Auden said standing up also.
"What?".
"Afterwards, make sure she knows that you love her despite it".
"Oh of course, this won't change anything between us".
Auden smiled an pecked him on the cheek. Randy smiled too and made his way to the stairs. As he climbed them his thoughts went in all directions. He hoped she wouldn't hold this against him, and that she still loved him the same.
Maybe after this, it was time to take that vacation they were going to before the house fire.
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